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The Art of Scrimshaw

February 27, 2016 @ 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

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Scrimshaw is a truly American art form. It probably originated with certain Native American cultures, and was developed and refined by sailors on whaling ships in the 19th century. Beautiful pieces of carved ivory and whalebone are among the most wondrous artifacts of the maritime world. In this workshop, educator Mark Arduini guides you on an exploration of the history of scrimshaw, including an examination of pieces from the Museum collection, and then we’ll try our hand at making simple scrimshaw of our own.

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